Colorado’s Fort Collins Light & Power recently purchased property in midtown Fort Collins, Colorado, that will become the site for its newest substation.
The eastern half of the property adjacent to College Avenue remains privately owned, Travis Walker, Light & Power’s Director told Public Power Current.
The Utilities site will be used for a new electric substation that will replace the existing facility that is to the northwest.
The new, larger site will accommodate updated Platte River Power Authority transmission facilities and Light & Power distribution facilities and will serve load for midtown and Colorado State University as growth, infill redevelopment, and electrification happens over the coming years, he noted.
It will increase area transmission reliability and will also facilitate distribution capacity gains at other substations, Walker said.
The utility will design the site to accommodate the city's transit and mobility plans to ensure connectivity and access in the area improves, he added.
“After the current substation is decommissioned, we are exploring the potential for a demonstration energy project, such as a large battery storage facility,” Walker noted.
The parcel is directly adjacent to existing transmission and distribution infrastructure, minimizing other impacts to the area.
Platte River Power Authority and Light & Power are partnering on equipment in the substation, various site improvements, and engineering services.
Funding came from a Light & Power bond issuance a couple of years ago that was appropriated at the same time, Walker said.
“We anticipate that the site will be energized in the 2030-2032 timeframe, due to construction timelines and equipment lead times,” he said.
“This is significant milestone in supporting critical infrastructure that will support the City’s goals in midtown for decades to come,” Walker said.
